Pollo Pibil

Yucatecan Barbecued Chicken


Ingredients

2 chicken breast fillets, cut in half longways
50g achiote paste
juice of half an orange
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
sea salt
olive oil

Salsa

1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons vinegar or lime juice
splash of fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
sea salt

Method

Mix the achiote paste, orange juice and salt in a bowl,add the chicken and mix well. Marinade for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.

Mix all the ingredients for the salsa together and refrigerate for an hour.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fry until translucent then add the tomato and cook for a few more minutes. Place the chicken in individual parcels made of banana leaves or aluminium foil and top with a little of the onion and tomato mix. Cook in the oven or the barbecue for 20 minutes.

Serve on a tortilla topped with the onion salsa.

Achiote Paste

Annatto Seeds

Achiote paste is a sauce made from annatto seeds, spices and tomatoes which originated in the Yucatán region of Mexico. The achiote trees are commonly found in Latin America and the Caribbean and are thought to have originated in Brazil.

It was probably not originally used as a food but for body paint, to ward off evil, as an insect repellent and for painting. It was also used by the ancient Aztecs who called it achiotl.

It is used in food as a colouring and for flavour. The flavour is described as 'slightly sweet and peppery'.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annatto

Chocolate Soufflé

This is the best recipe I've found for Chocolate Soufflé, its very light and chocolaty. The perfect dessert!

Ingredients

Crème pâtissière
20g cornflour
200ml milk
200g dark chocolate, grated
80g egg yolks

Egg white mixture
200g egg whites
150g caster sugar

For the dishes
25g unsalted butter
dark chocolate, finely grated
cocoa to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 180°. Brush ramekins with butter and dust with grated chocolate. Slake the cornflour with a little milk then gradually add the rest of the milk until smooth. Bring to the boil, stirring, boil for 30 seconds then remove from the heat and add the chocolate and egg yolks and stir until smooth.

Whisk the egg whites and gradually add the sugar until you have a thick and glossy mixture. Add one third of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture then add the remaining egg white and gently fold together. Pour the mixture into ramekins and cook for about 12 minutes until well risen and slightly wobbly in the centre. Remove from the oven, dust with cocoa powder and serve immediately.

Fagioli all'italiana

Italian Style Beans



I saw these beautiful borlotti beans at the fruit and veg shop today, perfect for this rustic Italian dish.

Ingredients

500g podded fresh beans
1 potato, peeled
2 ripe tomatoes, cut in half
3-4 cloves of garlic, bruised
fresh herbs - rosemary, bay, sage, thyme
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

Method

Place beans and all the other ingredients except salt and pepper in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the beans of any left over liquid and season with salt and pepper and a little more olive oil. You can take the vegetables and herbs out if you like but I like to leave them in. If you just bruise the garlic but leave the skin on they become quite sweet and mellow.

Albóndigas

Albondiga is the word for meatball in Spain and Latin America from the Arabic word al-bunduq. It is thought to be a Berber or Arab dish brought to Spain during the period of Muslim rule. My favourite is this Mexican version using Chipotle Chilli which gives the dish a wonderful smokey flavour.

Ingredients

500g minced pork and beef, about half of each
1 onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican if you can get it
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg
oil, for frying
fresh oregano sprigs, to garnish

For the sauce

1 chipotle chilli, seeded
oil, for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3/4 cup beef stock
400g can of tomatoes
1/2 cup passata

Method

Add all the meatball ingredients together and mix with clean hands until well combined, then roll into 4cm balls. Refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.

Soak the dried chilli in hot water for 15 minutes then drain and chop reserving the soaking water. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add the chilli and fry for one minute then add the beef stock, tomatoes, passata, the soaking water and season to taste. Simmer over low heat stirring occasionally.

Heat oil in a fry pan and fry the meatballs in batches, turning them occasionally, until browned. Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce mix and simmer for ten minutes so that the meatballs are well coated in the sauce. Garnish with oregano and serve with rice.